What lights should be used when meeting an oncoming vehicle within 150 meters?
2 Answers
When meeting an oncoming vehicle within 150 meters, low beam headlights should be used. Here is more related information: Introduction to low beam headlights: 1. The illumination distance of low beam headlights is approximately 30-40 meters. According to experiments, when driving at 55 km/h at night, if a situation is detected and the brakes are immediately applied, the stopping distance is exactly 30 meters. This means that if a situation is detected within the range of low beam illumination and the vehicle is stopped immediately, there will be no gap between the vehicle and the object. Of course, this is under the condition that the vehicle, road conditions, and driver's reaction are all in good condition. If the speed is higher than this, or if the vehicle and road conditions are poor, or the driver is fatigued with a longer reaction time, the result can be imagined. Therefore, it is essential to control the speed when driving at night. When using high beam headlights on flat, wide, and well-visibility roads, the speed can be appropriately increased; however, when meeting an oncoming vehicle and encountering uneven roads, turns, bridges, narrow roads, or intersections, the speed should be reduced, generally controlled within 40 km/h. 2. Low beam headlights must be turned on in the following situations: when driving in areas without street lights at night, or when driving at dusk when it is relatively dark or at dawn when the light is just appearing; if encountering heavy fog, snow, or heavy rain, which obstructs visibility, low beam headlights must be turned on even during the day; on some roads where there are lighting facilities but the brightness is insufficient, low beam headlights should also be turned on.
When I first learned to drive, my instructor repeatedly emphasized this rule: you must switch to low beams when meeting another vehicle within 150 meters. The principle is actually quite simple—high beams are too dazzling and can momentarily blind oncoming drivers, potentially causing an accident. I remember one night drive when the driver opposite didn’t dim their lights in time, glaring so brightly that my vision went white, and I nearly veered into a ditch. So, it’s always better to switch early rather than take risks, especially on winding mountain roads. Nowadays, I switch to low beams 200 meters in advance, and flashing hazard lights as a reminder works well too. Safe driving habits are built from these small details.
